Jeanne Demessieux

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Jeanne Marie-Madeleine Demessieux (born February 13, 1921 in Montpellier , † November 11, 1968 in Paris ) was a French composer , pianist , organist and music teacher .

Life

Even in her childhood, Jeanne Demessieux had an extraordinary musical talent and received several degrees from the conservatory in her hometown of Montpellier. At the age of 12 she was appointed titular organist of the Paris parish church of Saint-Esprit in the 12th arrondissement, where she worked until 1962. At the same time Jeanne studied at the Paris Conservatory , where she won first prize in harmony in 1937 , in piano a year later , in counterpoint and fugue technique in 1939, in composition in 1940 and finally in organ in 1941 .

Already at a young age she was ardently adored as an organist, great composers such as Francis Poulenc and Olivier Messiaen were among her unreserved admirers. Her meeting with Marcel Dupré (1886–1971) on October 12, 1936 in Meudon , where she asked for lessons, is legendary. After an exam in piano and organ playing and a personal conversation, Dupré finally accepted Jeanne Demessieux as a private student for the next three years. In 1939 Jeanne officially entered Dupré's organ class at the Paris Conservatory, which she left two years later with first prize in organ and improvisation . Five more years of private tuition with Dupré followed, who perfected Jeanne's technique and expanded her organ repertoire.

During the war and the German occupation of France, Jeanne Demessieux worked in a disciplined manner for up to 18 hours a day, but without appearing in public - apart from her organizational work in Saint-Esprit. It was not until 1946 that she appeared in public with a widely acclaimed concert in the Salle Pleyel in Paris . Jeanne Demessieux played more than 700 concerts all over Europe as well as three extensive concert tours through the USA (1953, 1955 and 1958). Her memory was extraordinary; she mastered more than 2500 works by heart, including all of the organ works by Johann Sebastian Bach , César Franck , Franz Liszt , Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy and Marcel Dupré .

In addition to her extensive concert activities, Jeanne Demessieux made numerous records, including the entire organ works by César Franck , which was awarded the Grand Prix du Disque in 1960 .

After 29 years at Saint-Esprit, Jeanne Demessieux was appointed titular organist of the Aristide Cavaillé-Coll organ at the La Madeleine church in Paris in 1962 . Demessieux was also active as a teacher , first in Nancy (1950–1952), later (1952–1968) at the Royal Conservatory in Liège , Belgium . For health reasons, Jeanne Demessieux felt compelled to limit her concert activities more and more in the mid-sixties. In 1967 she signed a contract with the Decca label for a complete recording of Olivier Messiaen's organ works, but this could no longer be performed due to Demessieux's death a year later.

Jeanne Demessieux died on November 11, 1968 as a result of an embolism in Paris. She was buried in the family grave in the cemetery of Le Grau-du-Roi , a few kilometers south of Aigues-Mortes .

Jeanne Demessieux left behind an extensive compositional oeuvre: In addition to eight compositions for organ, she wrote works for piano, numerous songs and choral works, including an oratorio Chanson de Roland and orchestral works. About two thirds of Jeanne Demessieux's compositional output, which comprises more than 30 works, has been published to date.

The Dutch label Festivo has re-released several recordings by Jeanne Demessieux, including her complete recording of César Franck's organ works in 1958, on several CDs.

Compositions

Organ solo

  • Nativité op.4 (composed 1943/44. Sampzon: Delatour France, 2005)
  • Six Études op. 5 (composed 1944. Paris: Bornemann / Leduc, 1946)
    • Pointes
    • Tierces
    • Sixth
    • Accords alternés
    • Notes répétées
    • Octaves
  • Sept Méditations sur le Saint-Esprit op. 6 (composed 1945–47. Paris: Durand, 1947)
    • Veni Sancte Spiritus
    • Les Eaux
    • Pentecôte
    • Dogma
    • Consolateur
    • Paix
    • Lumière
  • Triptyque op. 7 (composed 1947. Paris: Durand, 1949)
    • Prelude
    • adagio
    • Fugue
  • Twelve Choral-Preludes on Gregorian Chant Themes op. 8 (composed 1947. Boston, MA (USA): McLaughlin & Reilly, 1950)
    • Rorate Caeli
    • Adeste Fideles
    • Attende Domine
    • Stabat Mater
    • Vexilla Regis
    • Hosanna Filio David
    • O Filii
    • Veni Creator Spiritus
    • Ubi Caritas
    • In Manus Tuas
    • Do it Peter
    • Domine of Jesus
  • Andante (Chant donné) (composed 1953. In: 64 Leçons d'Harmonie, offertes en hommage à Jean Gallon , edited by Claude Delvincourt. Paris: Durand, 1953)
  • Te Deum op.11 (composed 1957/58. Paris: Durand, 1959)
  • Répons pour le Temps de Pâques: Victimae Paschali Laudes (composed 1962/63. Paris: Durand, 1970)
  • Répons pour les Temps Liturgiques (composed 1962-66. Sampzon: Delatour France, 2006)
    • Answers pour le temps du Très-Saint-Rosaire: Ave Maria
    • Responses for the temps d'Advent: Consolamini
    • Answers pour le temps du Saint-Sacrement: Lauda Sion (First version, composed 1963)
    • Répons pour le temps du Saint-Sacrement: Lauda Sion (Second version, composed 1966)
  • Prélude et Fugue en Ut op.13 (composed 1964. Paris: Durand, 1965)

Organ and orchestra

  • Poème op.9 (composed 1949. Paris: Durand, 1952)

Piano solo

  • 7 Pièces inédites (Sampzon: Delatour France, 2011)
    • Le chant des petits oiseaux
    • Berceuse et impromptu
    • Romance sans paroles
    • Allegro
    • mazurka
    • Valse n ° 1
    • Murmur des bois
  • Berceuse (composed 1926. Unpublished.)
  • Suite (composed 1938. Unpublished.)
    • Prelude
    • Joke
    • Menuet
    • Toccata
  • Étude in F sharp major (composed 1938. Unpublished.)
  • Trois Preludes (composed 1939. Unpublished.)
    • D flat minor
    • B minor
    • D minor

Songs (with piano)

  • Le Moulin (composed 1937. Unpublished.)
  • Soudainement contre les Vitres (composed in 1940. Unpublished.)
  • Sonnet de Michel-Ange (composed 1949. Unpublished.)
  • Action de grâce (Undated. Unpublished.)
  • Cavalier (Undated. Unpublished.)
  • Le Vase brisé (Undated. Unpublished.)

Chamber music

  • Sonata for violin and piano (composed 1940. Sampzon: Delatour France, 2013)
    • Allegro moderato
    • Adagio cantabile
    • Thème et variations
  • Ballade op.12 for horn and piano (composed 1962. Paris: Durand, 1962)
  • String quartet (undated. Unpublished.)

Choral works

  • Cantate pour le Jeudi Saint for choir, soloists and organ; based on a text by Félix Raugel (composed 1938. Unpublished.)
  • Barques Célestes for three female voices a cappella (composed 1938. Unpublished.)
  • Consolamini for five-part mixed choir a cappella (composed 1950. Unpublished.)
  • Chanson de Roland op.10 for mezzo-soprano, choir and orchestra (composed 1951–56. Paris: Leduc)

Other works

  • Two symphonic movements for orchestra (composed in 1941. Unpublished.)
  • Georg Friedrich Händel : Cadenzas for Organ Concerts No. 1 and 2 (Unpublished.)
  • Franz Liszt : Funérailles, arranged for organ (Sampzon: Delatour France, 2010)

Discography

  • Jeanne Demessieux: Complete Organ Works.
    • Te Deum op.11, Répons pour le Temps de Pâques, 12 Choral-Préludes op.8, Triptyque op.7, Prélude et Fugue en Ut op.13, Sept Méditations sur le Saint-Esprit op.6, Six Études op. 5. Pierre Labric: Homage to Jeanne Demessieux.
      • Pierre Labric, organ. Recorded in July and December 1971 and October 1972 in St. Ouen, Rouen and St. Pierre, Angoulème (Six Études, Sept Méditations). Sigean: Solstice, 2017. 2 CDs.
  • Jeanne Demessieux: Complete Organ Works.
    • Nativité op.4, Six Études op.5, Sept Méditations sur le Saint-Esprit op.6, Triptyque op.7, 12 Choral Préludes op.8, Te Deum op.11, Répons pour les Temps Liturgiques, Prelude et Fugue en Ut op.13.
      • Maxime Patel, organ. Recorded in August 2006 on the Jann organs of the Waldsassen Abbey Basilica. A film by Federico Savio. Hombourg-Haut, France: Fugatto, 2008. 1 DVD.
  • Jeanne Demessieux: Complete Organ Works.
    • Nativité op.4, Six Études op.5, Sept Méditations sur le Saint-Esprit op.6, Triptyque op.7, 12 Choral Préludes op.8, Te Deum op.11, Répons pour les Temps Liturgiques, Prelude et Fugue en Ut op.13, Andante (Chant donné). Poème op. 9 for organ and orchestra.
      • Stephen Tharp, organ. Recorded in June 2004 in St. Martin, Dudelange (Luxembourg; opp. 4, 5, 8, 11, 13 and Andante) and in May 2006 in St. Ouen, Rouen (opp. 6 and 7, Répons pour les Temps Liturgiques) . Jeanne Demessieux, organ / orchestra Radio-Symphonique de Paris, conductor: Eugène Bigot (Poème op. 9). Recorded in 1952 at Salle Pleyel, Paris. Korschenbroich: Aeolus Music, 2008. 2 SACDs & 1 CD.
  • César Franck: Intégrale de l'œuvre pour orgue.
    • Jeanne Demessieux, organ. Recorded in July 1959 on the Cavaillé-Coll organ in La Madeleine in Paris. Amersfoort, Netherlands: Festivo, undated FECD 155/156. 2 CDs.
  • Jeanne Demessieux aux grandes orgues de l'Eglise de la Madeleine à Paris, Vol. I.
    • JS Bach: Sinfonia from cantata No. 29, Have mercy on me, O Lord God BWV 721, O man, weep for your sins BWV 622, Christ our Lord came to the Jordan BWV 684; WA Mozart: Fantasia in F minor KV 608; F. Liszt: Prelude and Fugue on the Name BACH; Ch. M. Widor: Allegro from the 6th Symphony in G minor.
      • Jeanne Demessieux, organ. Recorded in July 1958 on the Cavaillé-Coll organ in La Madeleine in Paris. Amersfoort, Netherlands: Festivo, undated FECD 131. 1 CD.
  • Jeanne Demessieux aux grandes orgues de l'Eglise de la Madeleine à Paris, Vol. II.
    • JS Bach: Toccata and Fugue in F major BWV 540, Fantasia in G major BWV 572; WA Mozart: Adagio and Fugue in C minor KV 546/426; E. Mignan: Toccata Médiévale; J. Berveiller: Mouvement; J. Demessieux: Te Deum op.11.
      • Jeanne Demessieux, organ. Recorded in July 1958 on the Cavaillé-Coll organ in La Madeleine in Paris. Amersfoort, Netherlands: Festivo, undated FECD 132. 1 CD.
  • The Legendary Jeanne Demessieux, Vol. III.
    • O. Messiaen: Transports de joie (L'Ascension); JS Bach: Dearest Jesus, we are here BWV 731; J. Berveiller: Mouvement; Ch. M. Widor: Toccata from the 5th Symphony in F minor; WA Mozart: Fantasia in F minor KV 608; JS Bach: Toccata, Adagio and Fugue in C major BWV 564; F. Liszt: Ad nos, ad salutarem undam.
      • Jeanne Demessieux, organ. Recorded on July 6, 1961 at the Müller organ in St. Bavo, Haarlem (Mozart), on July 23, 1963 at the Oude Kerk organ in Amsterdam (Bach: BWV 564), in the Victoria Hall in Geneva (1963; Liszt: Ad nos) and the Metropolitan Cathedral in Liverpool (1967; Messiaen; Bach: BWV 731; Berveiller and Widor). Amersfoort, Netherlands: Festivo, undated FECD 141. 1 CD.
  • The Legendary Jeanne Demessieux: Hamburg Organs.
    • St. Sophienkirche: H. Purcell: Trumpet Tune; JS Bach: Prelude and Fugue in A minor BWV 543, Dearest Jesus, we are here BWV 731. St. Michaelis: C. Franck: Prelude, Fugue et Variation op. 18, Cantabile (Trios Pièces). Christian Church: J. Berveiller: Mouvement; J. Demessieux: Te Deum op.11, Consolateur (Sept Méditation sur le Saint Esprit op.6), Tierces (Six Études op.5); O. Messiaen: Dieu parmi nous (La Nativité du Seigneur); J. Demessieux: Improvisation on the chorale "O great God der Treu" from Cantata No. 46 by JS Bach.
      • Jeanne Demessieux, organ. Recorded in May 1959 (St. Sophienkirche), November 1962 (St. Michaelis) and June 1958 (Christianskirche). Amersfoort, Netherlands: Festivo, undated FECD 6961/862. 1 CD.

bibliography

  • Association des Amis de l'Orgue (ed.) (2009). Jeanne Demessieux: Journal (1934-1946). L'Orgue No. 287-288.
  • Association Maurice et Marie-Madeleine Duruflé (eds.) (2009). Tribute to Jeanne Demessieux. Bulletin No. 9.
  • Page, Barnaby (2018). Jeanne Demessieux . Organists' Review (September 2018), pp. 9-13.
  • Tréfouel, Dominique (2005). Jeanne Demessieux. Lyon: J2C / ALDRUI Editions. ISBN 2-906196-14-2 .
  • Trieu-Colleney, Christiane (1977). Jeanne Demessieux: une vie de luttes et de gloire. Avignon: Les Presses Universelles.
  • Welzel, Martin (2005). "Jeanne Demessieux (1921-1968): A critical examination of her life." (DMA dissertation, University of Washington, Seattle). Ann Arbor, Michigan (USA): ProQuest.

Web links

predecessor Office successor
Edouard Mignan Titular organist of the La Madeleine organ
1962–1968 		Odile Pierre
personal data
SURNAME Demessieux, Jeanne
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Demessieux, Jeanne Marie-Madeleine (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION French composer, pianist, organist and music teacher
DATE OF BIRTH February 13, 1921
PLACE OF BIRTH Montpellier
DATE OF DEATH November 11, 1968
Place of death Paris